Varsity makes U-turn after protest over exams during polls?

A public university in Kedah was forced to make a U-turn after retracting an earlier decision to postpone final exams for several days to let students cast their ballots for next month's polls, MalaysiaNow has learnt.

Following the Election Commission's announcement of polling day on Aug 12, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), which had scheduled final exams from July 31 to Aug 20, said it would allow a three-day break for students to return to their home towns to vote at the elections to be held in six states.

"The university has agreed to grant students a three-day leave, from Aug 11 to Aug 13, to fulfil their responsibilities as voters," read the notice, which was circulated on social media.

A second notice from the varsity's Academic Affairs Department, however, retracted the changes.

"The exam dates, from July 31 to Aug 20, remain unchanged," it said.

The move triggered outrage among students, mostly first-time voters who took to social media to accuse the university of denying them the right to cast their votes in the state elections.

Efforts by MalaysiaNow to obtain an explanation from varsity authorities have been in vain.

But a source said that while exam dates would likely be maintained, students who return home to vote will be allowed to sit for their papers at a later date. 

Alor Setar MP Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden was the first to raise the matter on social media, questioning UUM's move to issue two different notices within the same day.

He also questioned whether the second notice was issued after the university received "instructions" from certain parties concerned about the votes of young people.

UUM was among the venues where Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim held a dialogue session with students as part of his nationwide tour to meet young voters seen as having leaned towards the opposition Perikatan Nasional in the general election last year.

UUM's campus is located in Sintok, Kedah, about 50 minutes away from its capital, Alor Setar.

MalaysiaNow has learnt that the majority of students voting outside of Kedah had already purchased public transportation tickets to return to their home towns in time for polling day.

The mother of a first-year student said her 20-year-old son was excited to return to vote in Negeri Sembilan but had called to inform her that he couldn't return due to the exams.

"My son is disappointed that he can't come back to see his mother and cast his vote," wrote Amni Saad.

Others said the students should lodge police reports against UUM for violating their voting rights.